07.Dec.2011 Fred Thompson, Dead of Heart Attack
So sad. This kid was a major talent, and seemed like a great person.
RIP, Fred. Words can't describe how sad this is, so I won't even try.
-
presleydog says:
the only other place I could find this story was on the duck site, why isn’t it being covered?
-
steveEbeaver says:
Official announcement
http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120811aaa.html
-
I was at Dixon Rec when it happened. Was lifting weights in the main room and apparently, there was an ambulance and some sounds and some paramedics. I didn’t actually see Fred or anything, I assumed it might have been EMT training or something.
Oh my god, this is a tragedy. My word. My prayers go out to him and his family.
-
It was very interesting actually… strange now that I think about it. Nobody, including the paramedics acted like anyone was dying. Now that I think about it, they might have been able to save him if they had been quicker. It was like they didn’t want anyone to panic. Although if there is a time for panic, it is in a life or death situation.
-
brownale9000 says:
I’d be very very careful when accusing of folks of not giving a shit about a life and death situation.
-
I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it was tough to say that this resembled a life or death situation from what I saw. Nobody was running in with a stretcher and a defibrillator, that is for sure. It took a long time before the entire incident was over.
But heck, what do I know. I’m certainly not a doctor or EMT. I think its entirely possible that they were following protocol, which may be very different than it looks in movies.
-
Joe_Avezzano says:
Your last paragraph was salient. Everything else was utter shite.
Believe it or not, being calm is an integral part of life safety. Which would you rather have, EMTs that seem professional and in control or perhaps those that join the sorority girls in screaming, covering their mouths, and hugging each other?
-
osbeavs says:
The reality is that protocol doesn’t include running. Usually the few seconds you save by running doesn’t justify the possible other damage that can occur as a result. I am sure that they acted in a professional manner, otherwise this would become a scandal. The best and most experienced medical professionals keep a calm about themselves through any event, no matter how traumatic, because the situation demands it. Their emotional control allows them to evaluate and make appropriate decisions that are life saving.
-
Yeah, I don’t know… it just seemed too relaxed.
But I guess it is entirely plausible that he was dead before anyone even got there, so in that case there isn’t much to do. Just hope that this can be prevented in the future.
I guess with his passing, our DT situation will not be the same next year. Maybe the kids playing then will see his memory as something to play for.
-
-
-
Likely a congenital heart defect, and he was dead before or soon after he hit the floor.
Sad… there’s just nothing to say.
That’s two OSU athletes in the last 20 years. I don’t think Jimmy Anderson ever really got over Earnest’s death.
-
Add Joe Zaher, soccer player. Not from a heart attack of course, but a car accident. He was just 18 and had a boatload of talent and by all accounts was a great kid.
-
I guess you could add Stephen Hensor who also played soccer for OSU and died from liver cancer. I’m sure some research could find more.
-
I was only talking about the congenital conditions, but yeah, any death is a loss to the community.
-
-
HopefulBeav says:
Agreed. Usually when something like this happens (especially in a young, athletic, African American) it is because of an enlarged heart. It’s very sad because the vast majority of people are not screened for something like this and consequently the first indication that something is wrong is when the heart stops working. My prayers will certainly be with his family during this Holiday season.
-
-
Beav08 says:
You do realize that there are several AED’s on site at Dixon, and every employee is required to be CPR/AED certified. So it is very likely that he was already being worked on before the ambulance arrived. You even said it yourself you didnt even see it happen. Therefore you have no idea of what was actually going on at the scene.
Before you criticize, get a better idea of what may have been actually happening.
-
-
-
rsteve503 says:
Amen to all above……why do some go young, and aholes like me live on…
Its a strange world.
-
angry says:
and aholes like me live on
You know, I had the same thought.
Without going into religion or philosophy…it’s all very senseless.
-
-
I actually cried…
It’s one of those things where you feel a pit in your stomach and write “thoughts to the family”,but that doesn’t relieve the grief or senselessness.I think we should try to contact the family and work with them to have OSU (and all universities) better screen for heart disease in the athletes, especially the 300 pounders. I’m not sure how to go about that, but if anyone figures it out I’ll use the site to help any way I can. Something good needs to come out of this.
-
osu2008 says:
Thanks Angry!
This seems to be an important issue to address, especially with the kid from Arkansas last month and now Fred.
-
-
DU1266 says:
Yes, 19 year old TE on the team died a couple weeks ago.
-
-
-
-
this write up during Fred Thompson’s signing to OSU further sadden me in the light of this tragedy
http://oaklandnorth.net/2010/02/03/for-four-oakland-tech-players-signing-day-a-big-sigh-of-relief/
-
PowerBeav says:
Between 2010 and 2011 I spent 8 months as an intern with Oregon State’s Strength and Conditioning department. Assisting with Football was one of my main responsibilities.
Three things became apparent to me very quickly once I had the opportunity to start working with Fred Thompson.
1) How incredibly strong he was. He walked into our weight room having never really lifted before but was already stronger than several of our linemen.
2) How athletic he was at 300+ lbs.
3) What an awesome person he was.
Not only did he work very hard, but he was simply a joy to be around. All of the freshmen who came in last January (Fernando, Harrah, Welch, Ward etc.) are great kids and I think they are destined to do great things as Beavers, but Fred was special in many ways, and I consider myself fortunate to have known him and worked with him. I still can’t believe that he’s passed on. This a very sad day.
-
The randomness of what we want to be an orderly universe. We humans emotionally attach ourselves to each other knowing (though sometimes not admitting) full well that anyone can/will die at any given second.
Don’t try to make sense of it, it’s biology and science. Just remember the good times.
I can’t even imagine the pain going through the Thompson household right now and for years to come. I have a 21 year old son and… (here come the tears) -
mckalk says:
As a father, my heart especially goes out to any parent who loses a child. One of life’s tragedies that cannot be explained. I know nothing personally about Fred Thompson except for what I read from following OSU sports, but in seeing his photo, he just looks like a good kid with a kind heart. God bless.
-
silverstream055 says:
I am one of those unlucky parents who lost a child (my first born child, a son, who died of cancer at the age of three and a half). My son died many years ago. Events like this reopen the wound. Nothing more to say…..
-
Sorry silver.
If it’s too painful to revisit then never mind. In your tragic experience, what kind of condolences can a perfect stranger say/do that mean anything to a parent who just lost their child? Nothing will take the pain away but I always wonder if it helps the parents when there’s a huge public showing of support and sorrow.-
When our son died at Sloan-Kettering in NYC, we joined a counseling group at the hospital, and met lots of other parents coping with the loss of their child. What my wife and I learned is that everyone grieves differently. Lots of couples end up in divorce after a child dies, because the husband and wife deal with the situation in incompatible ways. Very hard to generalize about what grieving people want to hear. The only thing that really helps is time — lots of time.
But here’s one thing that most grieving parents DON’T want to hear. Unless you have lost a child, don’t suggest to a grieving parent that you have gone through “something similar” and that you can therefore understand their pain. You probably haven’t, and you probably can’t. My wife and I heard such things from a surprising number of people, and it always made us upset, rather than making us feel better….
-
homefry says:
Silver-I’m sorry for your loss. I lost my 21 year old daughter-six months after she gave birth to two baby boys.
I agree about the condolences–I guess my recommendation would be…”I’ve no idea what you are going through, but is there anything I can do?…”
FWiW….Rick
-
-
-
yaquina bob says:
Very sorry Silver. I have a five year old. I guess the age really doesn’t matter when you lose your child. Not sure I would be able to handle it. I see myself checking out.
-
Everyone handles it in their own way (some by checking out). For me and my wife, what helped the most was having more kids (we had five more who survived), along with the passage of time.
I see that Fred Thompson is survived by his mother and by two brothers (FT’s dad died 5 years ago). Hopefully the boys will help FT’s mother get through this tragic and painful experience….
-
-
-
From OSU’s facebook page:
For those who have asked – a Fred Thompson Memorial Fund has been established at Citizen’s Bank in Corvallis. If you would like to contribute, you can visit any of the Citizen’s Bank branches in the Willamette Valley area and deposit money or a check, mail a check to: PO Box 30 Corvallis, OR 97339, or drop off a check in the afterhours box outside of the branch in Corvallis. Checks can be made out to the Fred Thompson Memorial Fund. If you have any questions, please call Citizen’s Bank: 541-752-5161.
-
osu1776 says:
Waking up in the morning to find out that a kid like Fred had passed away is horrible. This news is sickening, and I don’t even want to know what his family is going through.
However, reading the responses, I found one in particular, by the site’s author no less, that I found to be over-the-top and somewhat unauthentic:
I actually cried…
It’s one of those things where you feel a pit in your stomach and write “thoughts to the family”,but that doesn’t relieve the grief or senselessness.Do you ever hear someone say something and the “BS” meter in your head shoots up so fast that the needle breaks? Well that was my feeling after reading this.
So Angry, you actually cried? Are you a teammate, friend, family or even acquaintance?
Did you cry for the Oregon recruit who drowned in the river in Eugene a couple years ago? Did you cry for the thousands of Japanese people who were killed in the tsunami? Do you cry for the millions of innocent people across the planet who are killed by NATO bombs?
Don’t you live in California? Needless to say, there is a wide disconnect between you and the everyday happenings of the football program in Corvallis.
The sense of self-indulgence and phoniness emanating from that comment is embarrassing and kind of an insult to those who are sincerely grieving the passing of this young man.
Even Stevie Wonder could see through it…
I think we should try to contact the family and work with them to have OSU (and all universities) better screen for heart disease in the athletes, especially the 300 pounders.
Really? Are you going to spearhead this campaign? I don’t get why you feel the need to infuse yourself into every situation. Whether it’s this, petitioning the AD to get the coaches fired, trying to “muckrak” everything involving the Ducks program, the ridiculous “Occupy Autzen” non-movement, etc.
What’s your motive? Are you trying to pander to the sensitive readers in hopes of procuring more donations to this website? … Donations that you claim are needed to help run and maintain the site, even though it’s hard to believe one can’t afford $20 a year to maintain their own bare-bones site themselves… How about you give half of your donations to “JackBeav” since he writes half your content now? … Or better yet, you should take your donations and start an “AngryBeav Student-Athlete Heart Monitoring Fund” for OSU…. Oh, but then you wouldn’t be able to eat out as much.
-
Thats not very nice.
Most duck fans are pretty nice to us about this issue. I’m not sure why you’re railing on angry about being sad for a kid who he followed for a few years and watched probably hours of tape from?
-
Wow. A late bid for dumbest shit I’ve read in the calendar year of 2011.
I’ve never met Fred Thompson, and I cried when I heard the news as well. This tragedy struck down a young man who, by every account I’ve read and from a couple people I talked to this morning, was truly a good person and actively trying to better his own life. Fred embodied and symbolized the hopes and dreams of his family, his friends, his high school and even his community. Every account I’ve heard says that this was a kid who deserved to live a full life. If hearing about a kid being struck down just as his life is beginning…if that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, I don’t know what to say for you or your view of humanity.
Reading your post makes me feel sad for you osu1776. It really does.
But if your first reaction is to question anyone’s motives for a heartfelt statement of sorrow and an expression of desire to never see something like this happen again…well I think that’s something you’ll need to come to terms with on your own. That’s not a normal reaction.
I for one find it pretty fucking abhorrent.
-
What a monumentally coldhearted prick you must be. You’ve managed to take a sad situation and make it all about you. We now know that you are one who does not wish this young man to rest in peace… one who revels in the pain and sorrow of others… one who takes advantage of a vulnerable time to exact an insensitive and egocentric cynicism upon the world… one who inhabits an incredibly dark corner of an incredibly limited mind.
I hope you find happiness at some point in your life, you sad, pathetic little stain on society.
-
osubaby says:
Fuck you asshole!!
You know what!? I teared up last night after reading the news. It’s sad and it must hurt his teamates, family and friends. But it hurts me and other humans as well, we may not be on the team or involoved but there is alot of emotion that surrounds us fans. Anytime a young man dies it’s no easy to cope with especially that of a Beaver. We surround ourselves everyday with what this team is. We all come here everyday to pour out our feelings and emotions about this team we love and hate all in the same day. But at the end of the day, we care about Beaver Nation and all its parts.
-
Damn, I was out all day, just saw this.
I did cry. I’ll tell you why: (a) it was completely shocking and (b) we never got to see the kid’s potential. If someone like Jimi Hendrix dies young, it’s tragic, but he at least got to show his talent. If someone old dies, you have time to prepare for it. Thompson had a ton of talent and never got to show it. That, combined with the suddenness (and him being a Beaver), made me emotional. I don’t think noting these things “makes it about me” since it’s pretty much how everyone feels.
Regarding donations: I ask once per year. They’re voluntary. Enough said.
Regarding motive: Self-expression? Talking about things to get over them?
Now it’s my turn: What the fuck is wrong with your mind?
-
slamadam says:
i truly hope for your sake that we never meet one another. what type of a piece of shit regularly reads a website they don’t like, and takes the time to write out a response this long to a post there’s only one way to feel about? by the end of it, youre not even talking about fred just attacking angry. i can only assume you are sad, pathetic and lonely you fucking smart ass loser. angry- i will be making a donation (probably around christmas) under the assumption that you ban this asshole.
-
I keep thinking about Fred and Ryan Murphy. Ryan has known Fred a long time as they played HS football together. I’m sure Ryan is going through a lot right now and given our strong family atmosphere at OSU, I’m sure his football family is looking out for him.
Ryan’s mother actually sat in front of me at Autzen this year during the Civil War – fantastic woman! She was so fired up. I hope she can help Ryan cope with the loss of his dear friend.
RIP Fred – You may not have been here a long-time, but your impact will never be forgotten by those you interacted with. Your memory will be rocking Reser next year.
-
Fred, your time was coming to represent the Beaver Nation. We are sad that we did not get to see and share your success on the gridiron. We will miss you very much. Save a little room up there for us!
-
Ripped off from TonySoprano on pure-orange.net – I’m sure he won’t mind.
–
Athlete cardiac screening in the PDX area
Please contact Mark McLaughlin, owner of Performance Training Center. Young Soprano trains with Mark, as do many of the stud athletes in the PDX-metro area. He usually does it for free because it’s so damn important.
-
R.I.P Fred. Was looking forward to seeing him repping hard on the field, may God be with this young man.
-
SalemBeav says:
I also lost a daughter. My personal experience with all the well wishers and their platitudes of BS ( Kind of like OSU1776 ). One person in particular told me if my daughter had lived she would have died a horrible death anyway. The only comfort I remember (besides the hand of God) were those who just hugged me. I think for the most part, most of the guys & gals on this site are class acts. I too am extremely distressed with the loss of Fred. I have been hearing his name for several years as a lot of people on this site were excited to see him play and grow. And although we didn’t know him personally, we were invested into him and his success. I agree there needs to be a national testing program for the big guys. With what gets spent on football, there should be a few bucks to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Maybe we can band together with Little Rock and any other location to draft a letter of petition to the NCAA. If they are so concerned about head injuries, they should be seriously considering this. I pray that God brings the family and friends peace and comfort.
-
Is there any video out there of Fred Thompson at practices with his OSU teammates? I kind of like the simplicity of the short “in memory of” video:
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/12/oregon_state_beavers_rundown_f_5.html
But I also think it’d be nice to see some shots of him at practice or on the sidelines as in this short video.
Afghanbeav 
capitalcause 
WFO 
tim318 
beavskis 
ean 
CraigBeav 
michaelm 
progressivebeav 
UofDuck 
Beavocalypse 
BeaverFever 
GreatWhiteHunter 
BeaverBill 
sparkyd73 
Osu605 
Fightingbeaver 